As it is easy to see from the land use map, the majority of land in the area surrounding the C. Hart Merriam elevation gradient is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. State and private lands make up a significant portion of the remaining land. As such, most of the land is used for recreation and grazing. Land use is mainly governed by ownership and/or stewardship practices. Nevertheless, land use practices are not static over the long term. Land swaps often result in federal land being converted to state land, which can in turn be sold to private individuals. Thus, a parcel of land can be converted from one type of use to other types of uses depending upon whose hands it is in.

Accordingly, land use practices affect the vegetation, animals, archaeological evidence, and other important aspects of the land. The prevalence of U.S. Forest Service land within the C. Hart Merriam elevation gradient allows archaeological sites to be protected and provides opportunities for scientific research into the effects of drastic elevation changes on the distribution of vegetation.